Brendan Lansley - Court action

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A Newborough man has been convicted and fined for engaging in debt collection while prohibited from doing so.

Brendan Lansley, 28, was convicted and fined $500 in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court for engaging in debt collection whilst being a prohibited person.

The Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 prohibits people from engaging in debt collection in certain circumstances. These include prohibiting anyone who has, in the preceding five years, been found guilty or convicted of an offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence punishable by imprisonment of three months or more. Mr Lansley has some prohibiting convictions.

In early September 2015, Mr Lansley signed an employment contract with a Morwell-based debt collection agency. He failed to provide a police check to his employer and carried out duties including making telephone calls to debtors to demand money. Mr Lansley’s employment was terminated after three weeks.

Prohibited persons can apply to the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) for permission to engage in debt collection. However, the BLA has no record of Mr Lansley applying for permission to work as a debt collector.